I wouldn't buy TMNT. There's a difference between unfair and difficult. The life system is far too unfair if I could remember. Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden, and Ghosts n Goblins are some games which I did buy because they are quite popular and have elements that don't make them completely broken. With the Restore Points function, most of the broken aspects of the games are fixed. Leaving Respawning Enemies one of the few problems.

While they could be annoying, playing TMNT is like trying to play Legend of Zelda without losing any hearts when using the Restore Points. It's annoying because you get hit every two seconds and you know that it's not going to end well as you progress throughout the level with less health.

it's a broken pile of garbage, but it's one some of us grew up with and may have fond memories of. i doubt we'll see it again, though i'd be perfectly happy to be wrong. :3

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Although it’s true that Activision currently holds the licence to TMNT all is not lost. I think there is a very real possibility that once people have lost interest in the current re-boot of the TMNT series that Konami would buy the licence back. They probably wouldn’t do it on the strength of the original NES game alone, but that licence also allows them to distribute the Turtles Arcade game, TMNT IV: Turtles in Time, and Turtles in time Reshelled. It may not happen for years to come but to this day these titles are much loved fan faves. Once this reboot ends I can’t see the licence being worth as much to Activision as it is to Konami.

I am very fond of the original game since it was the first NES game I ever tried, however unlike a lot of NES games I played back in the day I do come back to this one a lot more frequently than others. So there must be more to it for me than just nostalgia alone.

I appreciate it’s not for everyone and for a game that came out in 1989 it is a little lacking in the presentation department, but I wouldn’t refer to it as broken. The mechanic of switching between characters on-the-fly, all with their own health bars and weapon properties added an element strategy to the game. The over-world stage maps added a bit of exploration, especially after Area 2. Each area had its own unique twist to it. With regards to the jumps people have noted that it seems odd that you can run over small gaps, but you could do exactly the same thing in the original Super Mario and no one ever complains about that.

Although it is one of the most difficult games I’ve ever beaten I rarely felt cheated as there seems to be a strategy to every element. It’s certainly not the best NES game out there and couldn’t hold a candle to such titles as Mega Man or Metroid, but I certainly don’t think it’s a bad game, especially when you compare it to a lot of other Film / TV licensed games of the time.

With regards to the jumps people have noted that it seems odd that you can run over small gaps, but you could do exactly the same thing in the original Super Mario and no one ever complains about that.

It was a secret trick in Mario but Turtles required it. That's the difference.

Although it’s true that Activision currently holds the licence to TMNT all is not lost. I think there is a very real possibility that once people have lost interest in the current re-boot of the TMNT series that Konami would buy the licence back. They probably wouldn’t do it on the strength of the original NES game alone, but that licence also allows them to distribute the Turtles Arcade game, TMNT IV: Turtles in Time, and Turtles in time Reshelled. It may not happen for years to come but to this day these titles are much loved fan faves. Once this reboot ends I can’t see the licence being worth as much to Activision as it is to Konami.

You do realize its a bit more complicated then that. For one thing it's not Activision but Nickelodeon who owns the rights to TMNT now. So they would have to work out a deal with Konami. Also Turtles in Time Reshelled is not Konami but Ubisoft so even if they worked out something with Konami Turtles in Time Reshelled wouldn't be included.

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I would rather they skip to TMNT III and IV first and the first arcade game. It was annoying that they only put the first game out when it was undoubtedly the worst one.

Also, I hope Reshelled never resurfaces. INCREDIBLE disappointment that was.

I dont know I enjoyed Reshelled though its not as good as the SNES Turtles in Time. Of course the one that was a really disappointment for me was Hyperstone Heist. I never played that one when I was a kid but I recently picked it up at a local retro game store. Boy was I disappointed in that one.